This invention relates to olefin production and olefin production catalyst system improvements.
Olefins, primarily alpha-olefins, have many uses. In addition to uses as specific chemicals, alpha-olefins, especially mono-1-olefins, are used in polymerization processes either as monomers or comonomers to prepare polyolefins, or polymers. These alpha-olefins usually are used in a liquid or gas state. Unfortunately, very few efficient processes to selectively produce a specifically desired alpha-olefin are known. Furthermore, during many known olefin production processes, undesirable solid by-products can be produced. These undesirable solid by-products can be produced either during catalyst system preparation as fine, particulate contaminants or during olefin production as oligomeric or polymeric particulates. These undesirable solid by-products such as polymers or small, particulate impurities can lower the heat transfer coefficient of the reactor and/or can plug valves and piping downstream of the reactor vessel. Such problems can result in a decrease of olefin production due to the need to shut down the reactor to clean valves, piping and even the fouled reactor.